Dear Church, I am writing to you from Charlotte, NC on a historic day in the United Methodist Church. Through the simplest of motions, the General Conference removed language from our Book of Discipline that restricts LGBTQ+ participation in the church. By removing the restricting language, the General Conference frees its members, clergy, congregations and conferences to welcome, marry, ordain and employ LGBTQ+ people. The measure was adopted via consent calendar with 93% of the vote.

See coverage from UM News: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/40-year-ban-on-gay-clergy-struck-down

In other news, General Conference also passed final legislation around the idea of “regionalization,” by creating a central or regional US conference. This will allow US Conferences to deal with matters that pertain largely to us. Ideally, this should free up future General Conferences to deal strictly with global matters.

Earlier on Wednesday, the General Conference also voted to remove Paragraph 2553 from the Book of Disciple, which was the special provision guiding congregations disaffiliating from the denomination. Traditional methods of leaving the denomination remain. The General Conference also adopted provisions to welcome back congregations who have disaffiliated. As one delegate stated: “this keeps the door open. There are no closed doors in the kin-dom of God.” As a personal reflection, I recall when the Methodist church split into North and South factions prior to the Civil War. Within a year, the two entities began conversations over reuniting, even as the country was plunging into war. It took several generations to make reunification a reality. Today’s conversation felt a bit like that: the church lamenting a current and historical reality, yet making provisions to live out an ideal when the opportunity arises. This was a sober moment, but one of the more moving ones for me.

See coverage from UM News: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/disaffiliation-ends-regionalization-moves-forward

Today’s morning worship was led by Bishop David Wilson, our first Native American Bishop who serves the Great Plains Area (Kansas and Nebraska). He gave thanksgivings to those who have gone before; shared about the attitude of ubuntu he learned from African friends in the church (ubuntu means “the humanness that is found in being with one another”); and praised the tenacity of United Methodists in Nebraska continuing to meet as many congregations disaffiliated. This led into a time of memorial for Bishops, Bishop spouses and other prominent United Methodists who have died since last General Conference.

We also heard the “Methodist Family Report,” recognizing other Methodist bodies around the world. We received greetings from several, including autonomous Methodist bodies in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Great Britain.

We also recognized the 100th Anniversary of the United Methodist Building in Washington, DC, which currently houses our General Board of Church and Society. We also celebrated the 80th birthday of UMCOR.

On the business side of the church, General Conference approved a new pension plan for clergy called the “Compass plan”. Our current plan (CRSP) will expire in 2026 to be succeeded by the Compass plan. The Compass plan ends the defined benefit in favor of an enhanced defined contribution. One of the provisions under the Compass plan is that clergy student loan payments can qualify for matching contributions.

Tuesday Summary

Tuesday, April 30 at General Conference was a long day of arduous legislating.

The day began by recognizing ecumenical partners from around the world and welcomed a sermon from Rev. Dr. Jerry Pillay, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches. We also celebrated full communion agreements with the Moravian Churches (North and South) and the Episcopal Church. Full Communion means we can share clergy and other official matters. You may recall that John Wesley was a great admirer of the Moravians and debated frequently with many of their theologians.

The legislative issues of the day seemed to concern hoped for future of the congregation as it meets up against some tough realities of disaffiliation, reduced budgets and strained general agencies. Long debates arose around the number of bishops and episcopal areas in the growing African church; questions on increases in the apportionments and how to balance local church needs with general agency needs; and questions of membership to next General Conference, specifically about youth delegates. Tenuous agreements were reached on all of these, but not without much debate.

On Thursday, worship will include the commissioning of Global Mission Fellows and other missionaries. Work will continue on budgetary items and nominations for various general bodies (Judicial Council, etc.). I will be returning home Thursday afternoon and look forward to seeing you all in worship on Sunday.

See further coverage, including Daily Wrap-Ups here: https://www.resourceumc.org/en/churchwide/general-conference-2020/multimedia